Combination casket and burial vault



June 26, 1928. 1,674,898

w. 1. GROVE- COMBINATION CASKET AND BURIAL VAULT Filed Nov. 2; 1925 Ill iii)

VJTLLIALVI 1.

I03 TEE BBQ J'Z N STATI'ZEIIICT COMPANY, 01? TQLEDO, OHIO,

GROVE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A SSIGNOR TO CHARLES E. BUNTING RECEIVER A. CORPORATION OF CQIi/IBINATTON CA$KET AND BUB'IAL VAULT.

Application filed November 2, 1925. Serial No. 66,131.

This invention relates to a combination casket and burial vault and has for its object the provision of a cover-like vault member adapted to fit down over a casket of any construction and to cooperate therewith to form a seal to prevent water from rising around the casket within the vault member to a height sufficient to reach the cover joint of the casket, said. vault member when placed on the casket being fastened against removal therefrom.

"he invention is fully described in the following specification, and two embodiments thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a casket and a vault member embodying the invention in assembled relation with parts in transverse section. showing a slightly different construction of coflin. Fig. 3 isa fragmentary sectional elevation of an alternate form showing another manner of fastening the vault and coflin.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a casket of the customary or any suitable construction which may be formed at its lower edge with a base flange or projection 2 extending entirely around the lower edge of the casket and beyond the vertical plane of the top flange or bead 3'thereof. The outer edge portion of the base flange 2 is formed entirely therearound with a ledge or seat 4,

the inner sidewall of which extends upward and inward to the casket body.

The casket is enclosed by a cover or vault member 5, which is of a size to fit freely down over the casket, and is adapted'to closely lit at its lower edge on the flange t and to engage with the upwardly extending sidewall of said ledge to hold the; vault member against lateral displacement relative to the casket. "When the vault member is mounted on the casket base, it cooperates therewith to form a protecting vault or case for the casket. The member 5 may be secured against removal from the casket in any suitable manner.

In Fig. 1 the casket and the vault member are both shown as stamped from sheet metal, and in Fig. 2 the casket is shown as being of some other material, for instance wood, and as provided with a sheet metal base facing G, which is secured to the casket base by having its edge 7 turned or drawn inward over the base flange 8 of the casket.

Fig. 2 is a similar viewv The provision of the metal encased base prevents rodents from gnawinginto the exposed portion of the casket. The facing 6 forms the seat or ledge 4 on which the lower edge of the vault member rests, the same as in Fig. 1. It is apparent that with this form the casket is entirely enclosed in sheet metal when the vault member 5 is in position thereon.

In the present instance, the sheet metal base portion of the casket in each case is provided at intervals around its edge at the inner side of the ledge 4: with outwardly pressed upstanding. tongues 9, and each tongue has a catch lug 10 on its outer side with which a shoulder 11 on the lower edge of the vault member 5 is adapted to have snap holding engagement when the cover is pressed down on the seat a. For this purpose the lower edge of the cover 5 is shown as being provided with outward depressions 12 for receiving the catch lugs 10.

In Fig. 3 the cover or vault member which is designated 5 is now shown as seating on and forming a substantially close joint with the lower projecting base edge portion of the casket but as seating at its upper portron, as at 13, on the edge portion of the casket cover. In this case the fastening means is shown as constituting spring tongues 1d secured to the inner side of the vault member 5 in position to spring under and engage the lower edge of the top flange or bead 3 of the casket to prevent removal of the vault member from the casket.

It will be understood that the vault memher, no matter how it is secured to the casket or whether its lower edge seats on the base flange 2 or the member seats in some other manner on the casket, cooperates with the casket to form a seal so that when water rises within the lower portion of the vault member around the casket, the air is compressed in the upper portionof the vault member and prevents the water from rising to a point where it will reach and leak through the cover joint ofthe casket. An important feature of the invention consists in the fastening of the vault member to the casket when or after it is placed. thereover, so that the two may be handled together the same as the casket could be handledif the vault member were not provided. This vault member may be used in connection with any construction of casket and provide IUU capable of numerous an exceedingly simple and inexpensive protection therefor.

It is evident that I have provided an exceedingly simple and inexpensive protecting means for a casket, the base member of which constitutes the base portion of the casket.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p I

1 In combination, a casket having a surrounding base projection with a ledge at its outer edge portion and a vault member adapted to fit down over the casket and to closely seat at its lower edge on said base ledge, and means for retaining the vault member and casket in assembled relation.

2. In combination, a. casket having a sheet enses metal base portion forming a lateral projection entirely around the casket, and a sheet metal vault member adapted to fit down over the casket and to seat at its lower edge on said sheet metal base portion, and interengaging means formed on the sheet metal base portion and vault member for retaining the parts in assembled relation.

3; In combination, a casket having a sheet metal base portion forming a laterally projectingledge entirely around the casket with an upwardly projecting wall at the inner edge of such ledge, a sheet metal'vault mem ber adapted to fit down over the casket and to seat at its lower edge onsaid ledge, said sheet metal base portion and the lower edge of said casket having interengaging parts formed thereon which snap into engagement when the vault member is pressed down to seat on said ledge.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM I. ea ovn, 7 

